Program: Winter

Photo by Alicia DeBrincat

STUDIOS + FACILITIES

Our winter studios are located in the first and second floors of the Old Hotel in Maxon Mills. Residents will receive an adaptable raw studio that is roughly 80-100 square feet. Artists will have 24 hour access to their studio and accommodations which include a private bedroom, shared living room / study, dining room, kitchen, and bath. Artists also have access to the residency’s woodshop, located on the first floor of Maxon Mills. They also have the possibility to expand on large scale projects within the seven floors of Maxon Mills. Please note that the upper floors of Maxon Mills are not heated. Our silk screen studio is located in Luther Barn and is closed in the winter months.

Residents are required to bring everything they need for their creative practice including art materials. Each studio is provided with a table, chair and limited lighting. We do not provide any art materials.

FEES & FELLOWSHIPS

In an effort to serve and support emerging artists, all of the residencies offered are subsidized. The value of the winter residency is $1500 per month – including studio space, residential space, as well as extensive programming, performance and exhibition opportunities. Thanks to our continued support from our donors and grants, residencies are offered at $600 per month, per resident (plus $300 security deposit).

We award additional fellowships ranging from $100 to $300 per month, based on artist need. Artists receiving fellowships will be expected to donate between 2 – 8 hours of their time per week working with our staff, depending on the amount of their fellowship. If you are receiving funding from your school, state, or country, you will be responsible for paying the full value of the residency ($1500). Our subsidized rates are intended to directly support individual artists.

Accepted artists will pay their first month’s residency fee + security deposit upon signing their artist contract. Subsequent fees are due at the first of each month. There are no refunds.

Our intention is for the fellowships to be given to artists for whom it would be IMPOSSIBLE to attend without financial support. If that is not the case for you, please do not apply for them. They are expressly for the purpose of financial hardship; they are not based on merit or honor.

We are unlike other residency programs in that the residency is integrated into the exhibition program. Your monthly fee supports our costs associated with providing each artists a living space, studio space, a fully equipped wood and metal shop, a silk screen studio with a master printer available for technical support (summer only), the curation and management of preferred inclusion in our summer exhibition program along with all the promotion that goes along with that exhibition.

The number of fellowships we awarded every year is directly related to our annual budget. Our program is designed to break even.

**There are payment plans available to accepted artists who are in need.

EDUCATION FELLOWSHIP

Our expanded Education Fellowship program awards free 2-3 month residencies in exchange for extensive participation in the Wassaic Project’s education programming, which connects the local community to contemporary artists and artistic practices. Recipients of Fall and Spring Education Fellowships will work primarily as Teaching Artists in our Wassaic X Webutuck program, which builds critical thinking and creative problem solving skills through collaborations between emerging artists and public high school students. Recipients of the Summer Education Fellowship will work as Teaching Artists and facilitators in many of our summer programs including Art Scouts, a free summer camp for K-6th graders, and Art Nest, our drop-in making space. All Education Fellows will gain extensive curriculum-building and teaching experience.

PROGRAMMING

Artist in residence thru January 2016 are invited to submit proposals for inclusion in the 2016 Wassaic Project Summer Exhibition or 2016 Summer Festival. Artists participating February 2016 and after will be invited to submit proposals for 2017.

All artists are required to participate in a monthly evening of conversation consisting of artist’s talks, films, performances, and presentations, followed by a themed round-counter dinner discussion in the residency houses. Artists are also required to be available during monthly open-studios.

PARTNERS / COLLABORATORS / PETS

Collaborative teams willing to share a bedroom and a studio may share the cost of enrollment, however must pay an additional impact fee of $100 per month. Couples who are both artists (willing to share a bedroom, but who need separate studios) need to apply separately and should make note on their applications that they are a couple. They should also note whether they would be willing to come if their partner was not accepted.

Residents may apply to share the residence space with a spouse or partner via a written request to the Wassaic Artist Residency. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed. There is an additional monthly impact fee of $100 when bringing a spouse or partner.

Residents may bring their dog. Dogs require an in-person interview and an additional monthly impact fee of $100 per month.

REVIEW PROCESS

Residents are selected by a review committee composed of the board of directors and professionals in the field. They will be selected based on the quality of their work, commitment to their practice, and ability to interact positively with the community at large.

TRANSPORTATION

Residents are highly encouraged to bring a car if they have one, but if they don’t, NYC is easily accessible by Metro North ($30 round trip). Staff members make a weekly trip to the grocery store for supplies. The residency housing and studios are within walking distance to one another.